SODAPOPBOB
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This is my favorite ...
1943
1943
First use of "hobble skirt" to describe Coca-Cola bottles?
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SODAPOPBOB
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This is the earliest reference to the "Mae West" bottle I have been able to find so far, from ...
The Glass Packer periodical - May 1945 - Volume 24 - Number 5
And in part says ...
At that it is a vast improvement over its predecessor, nicknamed the "Mae West." The Mae West is the industry's most classic example of how to incorporate every bad feature in a single jar; 112 per cent overweight, and it simply wouldn't stand upright on a conveyor belt.
https://goo.gl/JxUkZr
Note: I don't like these Google Book snippet views because you cannot open the entire page - at least I don't know how. If someone knows how, please do so and share it with us. Thanks
If nothing else, it at least gives us a "latest date" reference to work with. The way the article is worded, it sounds like they are quoting a previously used term and did not coin it themselves.
The Glass Packer periodical - May 1945 - Volume 24 - Number 5
And in part says ...
At that it is a vast improvement over its predecessor, nicknamed the "Mae West." The Mae West is the industry's most classic example of how to incorporate every bad feature in a single jar; 112 per cent overweight, and it simply wouldn't stand upright on a conveyor belt.
https://goo.gl/JxUkZr
Note: I don't like these Google Book snippet views because you cannot open the entire page - at least I don't know how. If someone knows how, please do so and share it with us. Thanks
If nothing else, it at least gives us a "latest date" reference to work with. The way the article is worded, it sounds like they are quoting a previously used term and did not coin it themselves.
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SODAPOPBOB
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In other words ...
The 1945 Glass Packer article tells us the earliest use of the nickname "Mae West" bottle had to of originated in 1945 or earlier. And because Mae West was relatively unknown until her first movie in 1932, this narrows down the search for the nickname's first use sometime between about 1932 and 1945.
The 1945 Glass Packer article tells us the earliest use of the nickname "Mae West" bottle had to of originated in 1945 or earlier. And because Mae West was relatively unknown until her first movie in 1932, this narrows down the search for the nickname's first use sometime between about 1932 and 1945.
SODAPOPBOB
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This probably won't make any more sense to everyone than it does to me - but it is what it is! I just find 'em and post 'em!
The article involves some type of school newspaper and the Junior class section list several things that were apparently heard during class one day. Notice quote 10.
I have no idea if the student had heard the nickname before or if she just made it up. But surely this can't be where the nickname originated from? Or is it?
One thing is certain, the 1939 date tells us the nickname did not originate during WWII, at least not by American GI's. They might have popularized the nickname during the war, but they couldn't have invented it.
Question of the day: Where did the student hear the nickname, or did she invent it?
From ...
The Lake Park News ~ Lake Park, Iowa ~ March 23, 1939
The article involves some type of school newspaper and the Junior class section list several things that were apparently heard during class one day. Notice quote 10.
I have no idea if the student had heard the nickname before or if she just made it up. But surely this can't be where the nickname originated from? Or is it?
One thing is certain, the 1939 date tells us the nickname did not originate during WWII, at least not by American GI's. They might have popularized the nickname during the war, but they couldn't have invented it.
Question of the day: Where did the student hear the nickname, or did she invent it?
From ...
The Lake Park News ~ Lake Park, Iowa ~ March 23, 1939
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SODAPOPBOB
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On second thought ...
I think the Junior class reporter, Lu Ella Voss, put parentheses around the words (Mae West) as a means of letting the readers know just what type of Coca Cola bottle was being referred to. If correct, then it means she probably heard the nickname before and that it was most likely a popular term at the time. ???
I think the Junior class reporter, Lu Ella Voss, put parentheses around the words (Mae West) as a means of letting the readers know just what type of Coca Cola bottle was being referred to. If correct, then it means she probably heard the nickname before and that it was most likely a popular term at the time. ???
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SODAPOPBOB
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P.S.
Although purely speculative at this point, I'm thinking the origin of the "Mae West" nickname can now be narrowed down to sometime between 1932 and 1939.
Although purely speculative at this point, I'm thinking the origin of the "Mae West" nickname can now be narrowed down to sometime between 1932 and 1939.
SODAPOPBOB
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I find it necessary to draw attention to this 1977 article where Wilbur Kurtz, who was the director of the Coca Cola archives at the time, states ...
"And during World War II, many GIs called it 'the Mae West bottle.'"
Because Mr. Kurtz was the director of archives, he no doubt knew a thing or two about Coca Cola bottles. But for the life of me I cannot find a single account between 1941 and 1946 that even hints at the contour bottle being nicknamed the "Mae West." There are hundreds of accounts during the war era that mention things being nicknamed after Mae West, such as life vest, parachutes, twin-engine planes, and even curvy roads. But not one account that mentions anything about a Coca Cola bottle being called a "Mae West."
I plan to keep looking and eventually might find something, but for the moment I am challenging the claims that state Coca Cola bottles were called "Mae West Bottles" during WWII. I will stand corrected if someone eventually finds something to substantiate the claim, but for now I remain skeptical. And its not just Mr. Kurtz' account I'm challenging. I'm challenging any and all accounts of the same nature.
Article from ...
The Detroit Free Press ~ Detroit, Michigan ~ June 27, 1977
"And during World War II, many GIs called it 'the Mae West bottle.'"
Because Mr. Kurtz was the director of archives, he no doubt knew a thing or two about Coca Cola bottles. But for the life of me I cannot find a single account between 1941 and 1946 that even hints at the contour bottle being nicknamed the "Mae West." There are hundreds of accounts during the war era that mention things being nicknamed after Mae West, such as life vest, parachutes, twin-engine planes, and even curvy roads. But not one account that mentions anything about a Coca Cola bottle being called a "Mae West."
I plan to keep looking and eventually might find something, but for the moment I am challenging the claims that state Coca Cola bottles were called "Mae West Bottles" during WWII. I will stand corrected if someone eventually finds something to substantiate the claim, but for now I remain skeptical. And its not just Mr. Kurtz' account I'm challenging. I'm challenging any and all accounts of the same nature.
Article from ...
The Detroit Free Press ~ Detroit, Michigan ~ June 27, 1977
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P.S.
I'm also challenging Mr. Kurtz' claims were he stated the contour bottle was designed in 1913 after a department-store mannequin. That information is incorrect!
I'm also challenging Mr. Kurtz' claims were he stated the contour bottle was designed in 1913 after a department-store mannequin. That information is incorrect!
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For example...
I could easily post 100+ articles like the ones here, but not in a single one of them does it mention anything about a Mae West Coca Cola bottle. I especially like the one that talks about the term Mae West lifebelts/vest/jackets being entered into the Oxford Dictionary ...
1. The Nevada State Journal ~ Reno, Nevada ~ July 9, 1943
2. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ~ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ~ February 6, 1943
3. The Ottawa Journal ~ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ~ September 9, 1943
I could easily post 100+ articles like the ones here, but not in a single one of them does it mention anything about a Mae West Coca Cola bottle. I especially like the one that talks about the term Mae West lifebelts/vest/jackets being entered into the Oxford Dictionary ...
1. The Nevada State Journal ~ Reno, Nevada ~ July 9, 1943
2. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ~ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania ~ February 6, 1943
3. The Ottawa Journal ~ Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ~ September 9, 1943
SODAPOPBOB
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By the way ...
This exact picture was published in newspapers nationwide, including in Canada. I have seen so many examples of it that I have lost count!
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